Federal Minister of Education and Research Anja Karliczek and the President of the Humboldt Foundation Hans-Christian Pape confer the Alexander von Humboldt Professorships 2018. more

Coming to Change

Great flexibility, exemplary freedom of research and, last but not least, a vast amount of money: since 2008, the Humboldt Professorship has been attracting top international researchers to Germany. more

Coming to Change

Great flexibility, exemplary freedom of research and, last but not least, a vast amount of money: since 2008, the Humboldt Professorship has been attracting top international researchers to Germany.

But the stars from abroad do not only help German universities to score in science. They are also expected to be a breath of fresh air and change the system. Reviewers have now examined whether the Professorship is achieving its goals.
At the start, says , all the public attention took a bit of ... more

Commentary

When I think of Germany...

Reflections of an American scientist living in Göttingen

When I think of Germany I think of a place where it is still fun to do science! No kidding. Germany is a fun place, especially when it comes to Science. This hit me like a brick recently at the end of a hard week of work, Freitag Feierabend! I’m sitting in a nice Göttingen student Kneipe with ... more

We Need Fearless Universities

If you manage to acquire a five-million-euro professorship for your university, you get upheaval and envy into the bargain. This was a concern that was raised ten years ago when the first Humboldt Professorships were awarded. Things have changed. A conversation with Enno Aufderheide, Secretary General of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, on recruiting research luminaries and the benefits they bring German universities.

The Anxiety Tamer

Jürgen Margraf developed a therapy for panic attacks that works incredibly fast. Now a Humboldt Professor at Ruhr-Universität Bochum, the psychologist is investigating how people stay mentally healthy.

There are occasions when even anxiety researchers get anxious. Jürgen Margraf has experienced many such moments, and remembers one in particular. “It was my first dive in the sea,” relates the Professor of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, sitting in his office on campus at ... more

There’s Still Room at the Top

Prominent female researchers are rare, amongst Humboldt Professors, too. What academia and the Foundation can do about it.

The IBM Research Centre in Zurich likes to showcase the successful physicist, Heike Riel. When TU München raised the possibility of a Humboldt Professorship a year ago, alarm bells rang in Zurich. They made her an IBM Research Fellow, the highest accolade the company grants. For five years, the ... more

Heading for the Big Leagues

Worldwide competition to attract the best researchers is fierce. German universities are increasingly joining the fray – and succeeding in recruiting vast numbers of top academics.

It was about a year ago that Hannes Leitgeb faced his big decision. Leitgeb, now 39, had been conducting research as a philosopher and mathematician in Bristol, UK, for five years; then his two children reached school age. “To be honest, we weren’t really sure about the school system in ... more

07.06.2018

New Alexander von Humboldt Professors chosen

Five researchers from abroad selected to receive Germany’s most valuable international research award in 2019

An economist, a mathematician, a nuclear physicist, an immunologist and a quantum optician have been selected to receive Germany’s most valuable international research award. The Alexander von Humboldt Professorship is endowed with funding of up to €5 million and is granted to eminent ... more

08.05.2018

These scientists come to make a change

Federal Minister of Education and Research Anja Karliczek and the President of the Humboldt Foundation Hans-Christian Pape confer the Alexander von Humboldt Professorships 2018.

Ten leading international researchers received Germany’s highest valued research award, the Alexander von Humboldt Professorship, on Tuesday evening in Berlin. The German Federal Minister of Education and Research Anja Karliczek and the President of the Humboldt Foundation Hans-Christian Pape ... more

30.04.2018

Invitation to the conferment of the Humboldt Professorships by Federal Minister Anja Karliczek on 8 May in Berlin

Ten award winners from abroad will each receive up to five million euros an soon conduct research in Aachen, Berlin, Dresden, Erlangen-Nuremberg, Hamburg, Hanover, Leipzig, Mainz and Munich

Ten award winners from abroad will each receive up to five million euros. Award ceremony with Federal Minister Anja Karliczek on 8 May in Berlin. more